WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. May 17, 2021:

For the past year, 1000+ residents like yourself have been appealing to Mayor Roach and the White Plains Common Council to add amendments to the White Plains Telecom Code to protect residential areas from 24/7 radiation-emitting antennas.

This big effort came to a climax at the May 3 Common Council meeting, when new amendments (attached) were enacted into Section 4-23 of the White Plains Municipal Code. The Code was last visited in 1997, long before mini-cell towers were on the landscape. The following is a list of the more important amendments 

(in black) that were passed, followed by 5GAlert Westchester comments (in red):

1. Higher fees for telecom applicants to enable the City to pay for consultants and additional expertise to review applications. 

We’re glad the City will be reviewing applications with more scrutiny. However, applications must require numerous fact-finding determinations, all of which should be codified. Since they are not in the code, we will be looking to the City to provide us with a sample of a new application.

2. A provision that reads “to the extent technically feasible small wireless facilities should be located first in industrial districts, secondly in business districts, and last in residential districts.” 

Directionally good but no process or documentation is described for stated 3-tiered approach, nor for proof of “technical feasibility.” 

3. A provision “to the extent technically feasible,” no cell antenna may be placed in the Front Facade Area of a residence, school, daycare center, or nursing home. 

A minor improvement. Placement away from Front Facades will do nothing to diminish outdoor or in-home exposure levels to microwave radiation. Besides, we don’t want them in residential areas in the first place. 

Both 2 and 3 above are made conditional by the language, “notwithstanding… the Commissioner of Public Works may approve the locations of small cell wireless facilities wherever necessary to meet the applicant’s network service needs.” White Plains residents will be watching to see that 2 and 3 above are enforced.

4. Notification shall be sent by certified mail to all property owners within 500 feet of a proposed cell siting. 

Good! Excellent! An email address will be provided for notified residents to send comments. ‘Comments’ are insufficient. There has to be a process by which residents can appeal. Other cities hold public hearings for antenna installations, but not White Plains. We will continue to speak to the Mayor about this and work to create an appeal process. If you receive a notice, report it immediately to this email. 

5. Liability insurance. An insurance provision, intended to protect the City from liability related to future health claims from exposures to (RF) microwave radiation. 

Aside from the fact that none of us want to be submitting one of those health claims, this is a complicated provision which I cannot clearly explain. If there is an insurance expert reading this, please volunteer to interpret this provision which can be found in section 4-23-13 (attached). 

6. Emissions testing. Telecom carriers must document RF compliance at time of installation and randomly thereafter at least once a year. If not in compliance with FCC standards, telecoms must cease operation until in compliance, as well as check all other facilities they operate. Failure to comply “could” result in loss of permission to operate in the City.

 This is a necessary measure, made stronger at the last minute by Common Council Member Nadine Hunt-Robinson. However, it’s important to understand the FCC exposure standard is so astronomically high that it is virtually impossible for a cell facility to surpass it. Recently in Sacramento, a family was made sick by a nearby antenna measured to be 60,000 miliwatts; the FCC standard is 10 million milliwatts. As necessary as this provision is, it will not protect you.

Thank you for all your support in getting us this far. Despite the Mayor’s closing remarks at the May 3 meeting, there is much more we can do. Council Members Jennifer Puja and Justin Brasch made strong public statements in support of additional protective provisions, as well as the need to revisit the legislation every six months. This is positive and wouldn’t have happened without you. 

We will keep pressing. We will be looking to see that provision #2 above will be well-enforced by the City and serve to limit radiation-emitting antennas in our neighborhoods. 

Thanks again. You are the best!

Ruth Moss

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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS NEWS. MAY 15, 2021:

County Executive George Latimer announced in his Covid-19 briefing Thursday, the county is starting a program to administer vaccines in the homes of residents who are homebound.

A vaccination specialist will come to a loved one’s home to administer first or second shots of the Pfizer vaccine. The vaccination specialist will also vaccinate any companion caretaker living with the homebound resident. To arrange for an in-your-home covid vaccination for a homebound individual, call 914-813-6300.

You can also see Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins announcement of the details on the most recent county Covid briefing ON the Westchester County Facebook acccount.

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ON NEW WAYS TO TREAT YOUTH OFFENDERS

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS FOR PROGRESSIVE CORRECTION PRACTICES FOR YOUTH OFFENDERS

NEED FOR MORE YOUTH SHELTERS ACROSS THE STATE

REBUILDING COMMUNITY TIES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, COURTS, AND COMMUNITY TO SAVE YOUTH OFFENDERS FROM RECIDIVISM

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White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, in cooperation with the Mayor’s Veterans Committee, announced plans Wednesday for the City’s annual Memorial Day Commemoration. 

Mayor Roach said, “Memorial Day remains as relevant today as when it was first enacted in memory of the soldiers who fought in the Civil War.  Great sacrifices are made every day by the men and women of the U.S. Armed Services.  Their sacrifices remind us anew to be grateful for all that we have as a community and a country.”

During the past year of tremendous upheaval and loss, we also remember the 12,000 recorded deaths of veterans from COVID-19.  

Our deceased honorees this year are Malcolm Baehr and Jack Collins. Both served on the Mayor’s Veterans Committee for many years.  They were incredibly proud of their time served in the armed forces and dedicated themselves to honoring all veterans respectfully in our community.  

Although it remains a challenge to safely host a parade, as has been the tradition in White Plains, the Veterans Committee has decided to host a Commemoration ceremony at Delfino Park, 104 Lake Street, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31^st at 11:00 a.m. 

At this location everyone can socially distance and be outdoors while honoring our veterans. 

Ebersole Ice Rink, which is a covered outdoor area at Delfino Park, will be utilized in case of inclement weather.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET BEAT. From the Service Employees International Union 32BJ. May 11, 2021: At noon on Tuesday, May 11, six members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators joined displaced cleaners at the City Center Mall to protest the mall’s flagrant violation of the Westchester’s displaced worker law, as well as Gladiator’s violation of the National Labor Relations Act.

In January, City Center Mall owner and manager Kite Realty Group and KRG Management replaced its unionized mall cleaning company with a non-union contractor, Gladiator Building Services. Although property owners are free to switch cleaning contractors, the Westchester County Legislature in 2019 sought to prevent unnecessary harm to workers by strengthening the county’s Displaced Service Employees Protection Law. The law now provides an orderly 90-day transition period, during which the new contractor and site owner must provide written communications, respect seniority, and allow workers to apply for the their former jobs.

At the law’s signing, Westchester County Legislator Catherine Borgia said, “We needed to prevent employers from making an end run around the spirit of the law…by not being sufficiently transparent in their communications with workers.”

Now, Borgia and other legislators will join with workers and their union, 32BJ SEIU, to protest Kite and Gladiator’s refusal to respect seniority rights and failure to provide written notification of various changes.

Last month, after negotiations between Gladiator and 32BJ broke off, five of the displaced cleaners filed suit in the State Supreme Court against Gladiator and Kite for violation of the county’s displaced worker law. The union also filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board for Gladiator’s failure to bargain with the union, for coercively interrogating workers about their union support, and for making unilateral changes to employment, including lowering wages and eliminating benefits.

“This longstanding group of cleaners lost their jobs in the midst of the worst health and economic crisis of our lifetimes,” said 32BJ SEIU Vice President Shirley Aldebol, the head of the union in the Hudson Valley. “These workers are tired of having their rights ignored by an owner and contractor who have lowered wages, eliminated benefits, and disempowered employees. Enough is enough. Kite Realty needs to do the right thing and bargain in good faith with the union and restore these workers to their previous terms and conditions of employment.”